This is a prayer series for the opening of Doorways of Grace for my readers in 2018; praying into specific topics in this the Year of the Open Door, Hebrew Year 5778. You can follow this prayer series and my blog at http://www.sacredramblings.com

I Pray For You This Year –

that a Doorway of Grace will open in 2018, which brings peace in your career. You will find the appropriate place in your current organization or for a door to swing toward a better opportunity. You will transition to a place of abundant provision that embraces your unique Holy Spirit deposited skills, gifts and talents. I pray for a special welcoming place where you will be surrounded with like – minded people with whom you compliment.

That the beauty and delightfulness and favor of the Lord will confirm and establish the work of your hands. That you will prosper in the land and gain promotion and influence within your organization and throughout your community. That the skill and excellence in your craft will bring you before leaders, kings, authorities in high places.

When you pray prayers of protection for Israel and Jerusalem and have understanding of the desire of God for its peace and prosperity (Psalm 122), He, too, will prosper you. The Blessing of God on your life will be evident as you walk in happiness, prosperity and admired by many.

That you learn to see Jesus Christ high above every circumstance, in the mountains and in the valleys, and that you train your mind to instinctively default to Him in faith and with expectancy, until He activates His covenant of supply and protection. That you will earnestly remember the Lord your God daily as He provides, as He is the One that gives the power to get wealth so that His covenant may be established by and through you upon the Earth.

Through forces of Uncommon Favor, I pray for God to swing wide a door that gently delivers you with joyful clapping and singing into the field of your expertise, and into His hearts desire for you. Through prayer and intimacy with Him for you to have no fear and accept the signs of seasons ending and welcome new possibilities consistent with His design for your life. AMEN (So be it)

Psalm 90:17 AMPAnd let the beauty and delightfulness and favor of the Lord our God be upon us; confirm and establish the work of our hands – yes the work of our hands, confirm and establish it.

Luke 19:41 – 44 AMP
“And as He approached, He saw the city, and He wept [audibly] over it. Exclaiming, Would that you had known personally, even at least in this your day, the things that make for peace (for freedom from all the distresses that are experienced as the result of sin and upon which your peace – your security, safety, prosperity, and happiness – depends)! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For a time is coming upon you when your enemies will throw up a bank (with pointed stakes) about you and surround you and shut you in on every side. And they will dash you down to the ground, you [Jerusalem] and your children within you; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, [all] because you did not come progressively to recognize and know and understand [from observation and experience] the time of your visitation [that is, when God was visiting you, the time in which God showed Himself gracious toward you and offered you salvation through Christ.]”

In this passage of scripture, Jesus grieved openly knowing what would be forthcoming for the people of Jerusalem. Despite what the people had personally witnessed, Jesus the Prince of Peace, Who had been presented to them as the living Son of God, would not be received into the hearts of the Jewish people.

What He knew for them: Know Jesus-Know Peace, No Jesus-No Peace

All Christians are commanded by God to pray for the peace of Jerusalem (PS122:6). The passage continues,”May they prosper who love you, May peace be within your walls, prosperity within your palaces” To be a Christ-follower is to love and pray fervently, frequently for the entire nation of Israel. Although the peace of Jerusalem was not accomplished in Jesus’ earthly life, it has been left for us to cover His people in prayer and other means until His return. I fully believe that America’s first responsibility is to cover and protect Israel.

The following scripture describes the Peace that will come with God’s Reign:Isaiah 32:15-18
“Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is valued as a forest. Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness will abide in the fruitful field. And the effect of righteousness will be peace [internal and external], and the result of righteousness will be quietness and confident trust forever. My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, in safe dwellings, and in quiet resting places.”

We can experience His Peace Prior to His Reign Through the Understanding of Righteousness. Righteousness means in right-standing with God and in conformity to His will and purposes. We cannot be righteous, or in right standing with God without understanding and accepting the working power of the blood of Jesus. The Blood is Heaven’s Clorox, its only cleansing agent.

It is impossible to work or perform our way into right-standing with God. Churches may teach that by watching our words, making our vessels (our bodies) more holy [yet holiness is important to God], or praying lengthy prayers every.single.day, or confessing sin can put us in right standing. This is erroneous. True righteousness welcomed by God comes by complete acknowledgement that His Son’s sacrifice fully achieved everything necessary to remove the dividing wall between God and You. This puts the focus (and responsibility) totally on Jesus for this achievement, one that no mortal could ever accomplish. To assume that one could actually be made righteous by a person’s own merits, clearly illustrates a lack of understanding of the magnitude of the Cross. This positioning creates ‘self-righteousness’ There may be nothing more noxious to God.

The Book of Romans could easily be named ‘the Book of Righteousness’, providing more information on this subject than any other chapter in the Bible. Romans 4:3 refers to Abraham, the Father of our Faith –
“For what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.”

Have you ever exhibited ungodly behavior? Yes ____ No ____ Is it comforting to know that your behavior has already been justified by God through the blood of Jesus? Yes_____ No _____Does this make you want to sin more? No ______ (of course not)

One cannot be justified by works – God imputes His righteousness ASIDE FROM OUR WORKS in exchange for our sin. This is called Grace – undeserved, unmerited favor which is freely given. We are only made righteous BY FAITH in Jesus and His sacrifice. His resurrection served as ratification for a New Covenant. This is the only way pleasing to God. Does this soothe the soul (mind, will, emotions) bringing a quietness and a confident trust? (Isaiah 32:17). That peace you may feel is the result of Jesus’ righteousness and the acknowledgement, by resting in faith, that He (not you) has paid it all on your behalf.